PDC UK Open 2019 – Butlin’s Minehead

All eyes will be on Michael van Gerwen once again when the best players in the PDC descend on Butlin’s resort in Minehead between 1-3rd March. Will the Dutchman to continue his domination of darts or will there be another winner to add to the title list?

The world number one and current PDC World Champions has not won the UK Open since 2016 and will again be aiming to claim the title back next month. With is recent World Championship victory and three wins in the first three rounds of the Premier League, ‘Mighty Mike’ will be a favourite to reclaim the UK Open title.

The UK Open is commonly referred to as the ‘FA Cup of Darts’ for its unique format. This year the event will be boosted by an increased player entry over previous years. A total of 159 players have qualified by either Order of merit, tour card or locally winning the many events across the UK. Full Coverage of the UK Open will be shown on ITV4 for UK viewers, through PDCTV-HD for the rest of the World subscribers and via a series of international broadcasters over the three-day period.

The initial draw has taken place and the top seeds will enter in round four. However, who they will play will be a result of a live TV draw and subsequence draws after each further round! Meaning a local qualifier could be pitted against one of the top seeded players in the World and be elevated to the No.1 Stage, a bit like Manchester United, a premier league football team, playing a division two team, such as Yeovil Town. However, this event has shown up many upsets over the years and the underdog sometimes prevails. Fans tend to look for the best odds at sportsbetting24.ca where very best information one can find on everything related to sports betting before deciding where to place their money and this event will be one when the odds favour the bold.

Reigning UK Open Champion Gary Anderson will be making his return to TV darts following a break from the sport due to an ongoing back injury. it is still unclear if Gary is trouble free and back on top form. I guess we will all find out when he takes to the stage in round four. One advantage Gary will have is the locality of the venue. Gary only lives just a few miles from Minehead, meaning he can return home to his own bed after each night, a luxury other players won’t have.

New Contenders

Kicking of proceeding on the main stage will be the former BDO No.1 Mark McGeeney, nicknamed ‘Gladiator’. Mark won a two-year PDC tour card in January of this year and the UK Open will be his first major PDC TV event. Mark is also a two time Dutch Open Champion and will be eager to make an impression as he takes on David Pallet in the first round. Like any new player joining the PDC Mark started at the bottom the PDC Order of merit and will have to work his way up.

The PDC order of merits is based on two-year prize money won by each of the players hence to say Mark is listed outside the top one hundred however, this is not a true reflection on his ability. Winning the UK Open would elevate Mark or any new player joining the PDC this year into the top fifty. So, it would not surprise many fans to see Mark in the top quarter after his first year on the tour.

Former three-time BDO World Champion, Glen Durrant will also feature on the main stage on day one. Glen will play either Daniel Day or Maik Kuivenhoven in the second round of the event. Glen. has already made an impression on the PDC stag by winning the fourth stage of the pro-tour, Players Championship. Glen may be tipped as an outsider to do well in the UK Open and I suspect he could do well.

Gerwyn Price

Gerwyn’s rise to the top level of darts over the past couple of years hasn’t stopped. Winning back-to-back stages of the Players Championship last weekend will place Gerwyn firmly in the mix too well in Minehead. The Welsh ex-rugby star has flexed his mussels a few times before on the main darts stage and won the joint PDC / BDO Grand Slam last year.

Gerwyn is on form and knows how to win even if the crowd are not always on his side. Expect the boo’s and cheers in equal measure when Gerwyn takes to the Minehead stage. However, for the punters amongst you, Gerwyn could be the one to lift the trophy come Sunday 3rd March. What is true this year’s event will be one of the hardest to predict and one of the hardest contented.

Play starts Friday 1st March at 11.00am, main stage events start at 12.00 noon (GMT)

TV coverage focuses on the main stage and drifts to other boards between main stage matches.

Main stage line-up Friday 1st March from 12.00 noon

Mark McGeeney v David Pallett - First Round

Wes Newton v Cameron Menzies - First Round

Dawson Murschell v Ross Smith - Second Round

Glen Durrant v Day/Kuivenhoven - Second Round

Portela/Bates v Hughes/Rydz - Second Round

Taylor/Labanauskas v Kevin Burness - Second Round

Luke Humphries v Vincent van der Voort - Third Round

Toni Alcinas v Nathan Aspinall - Third Round

Ricky Evans v Justicia/Thoburn/Dennant - Third Round

Dimitri Van den Bergh v Shepherd/Worsley/Brooks - Third Round

Stages 2-8 and full first round draw can be found on the PDC Official website

Format

First, Second & Third Rounds - Best of 11 legs

Fourth, Fifth & Sixth Rounds & Quarter-Finals - Best of 19 legs

Semi-Finals & Final - Best of 21 legs

UK Open Winners

Year

Winner

Score

Score

Runner-up

2018

Gary Anderson

11

-

7

Corey Cadby

2017

Peter Wright

11

-

6

Gerwyn Price

2016

Michael van Gerwen

11

-

4

Peter Wright

2015

Michael van Gerwen

11

-

5

Peter Wright

2014

Adrian Lewis

11

-

1

Terry Jenkins

2013

Phil Taylor

11

-

4

Andy Hamilton

2012

Robert Thornton

11

-

5

Phil Taylor

2011

James Wade

11

-

8

Wes Newton

2010

Phil Taylor

11

-

5

Gary Anderson

2009

Phil Taylor

11

-

6

Colin Osborne

2008

James Wade

11

-

7

Gary Mawson

2007

Raymond van Barneveld

16

-

8

Vincent van der Voort

2006

Raymond van Barneveld

13

-

7

Barrie Bates

2005

Phil Taylor

13

-

7

Mark Walsh

2004

Roland Scholten

11

-

6

John Part

2003

Phil Taylor

18

-

8

Shayne Burgess

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